


Bees & Books: Choices & Destiny

by Kiiratam



Category: RWBY
Genre: Books, Bumbleby Week 2020 (RWBY), Canon Compliant, F/F, Fluff, Soulmates
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-04
Updated: 2020-06-04
Packaged: 2021-03-03 22:15:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,359
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24532918
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kiiratam/pseuds/Kiiratam
Summary: Blake isn't sure if she likes where her newest book is headed...For BMBLB Week 2020, Day 3: Soulmate/Reincarnation.Takes place between Volumes 1 and 2. (My BMBLB fic index)
Relationships: Blake Belladonna/Yang Xiao Long
Comments: 12
Kudos: 81





	Bees & Books: Choices & Destiny

Sighing, Blake closed her book.

  
Yang's hair and eventually her face leaned down from the top bunk. "Was that a 'oh, romance' sigh, or a 'ugh, romance' sigh?"

  
"I don't even know." Blake ran her fingertips over the raised letters on the cover of _Chained Lightning_. "It's been really good so far."

  
"I mean, the cover's pretty promising. Who wouldn't want to almost kiss on top of a tower in a lightning storm?"

  
_Was that serious? Or was Yang just joking? I can't always tell._

  
"So what's the problem?"

  
Blake took a moment to compose her thoughts, and was about to launch into her explanation. But before she did... "Did you want to come down here? It's a bit convoluted." _And you're getting a little red-faced._

  
Ruby chimed in, from the floor. "And you're blocking the right side of the screen."

  
From her desk, Weiss added, with Schneeful disdain, "Isn't this supposed to be _quiet_ time? I'm _trying_ to study."

  
"Quiet _relaxation_ time! Are you telling me studying is relaxing?"

  
"Sis, you're getting beat up." Yang slid out of the top bunk, and pointed at the screen.

  
"Ack!" Ruby turned her attention back to her game. She had the sound off, because Weiss was right. It was supposed to be quiet time.

  
But apparently Yang wanted to chat. And, Blake admitted to herself, trying to explain the story might help her make up her mind.

  
So long as they did it quietly enough so as to not offend the local Schnee.

  
Blake shifted over on her bed, patting the spot she had just vacated. Yang sprawled out on the bed, lying on her side, arm propping up her head. She made a 'go ahead' gesture, her eyes on Blake's.

  
_Or maybe a little lower? Is she just watching my lips? Can Yang read lips?_

  
Leaning a bit closer, talking softly, Blake started to explain. "So it's all from the perspective of the guy. He's just a young farmer, and he lives in a quaint little village." Yang nodded. "And he wants to train to be a warrior, but he can't be spared from the farm, and the book spends a lot of time on his family, and the other villagers, building them up." Yang rolled her eyes. She clearly knew where this was going. "And then an evil army attacks, and destroys the village, burns the fields, and nearly kills everyone."

  
Just barely speaking out loud - _trusting my four ears to catch it_ \- Yang said, "Called it."

  
"And at the last minute, with the guy facing down a trained swordsman with only a stick, a beautiful sorceress shows up and drives the army off with bolts of lightning. And then the guy passes out. When he wakes up, the sorceress has apparently kidnapped him and all the rest of the survivors."

  
"Bad start to a relationship."

  
Blake tried to explain. "I'm not really doing it justice. They're not in a dungeon." She paused. "Though it is underground, and they're not allowed to leave. But they've got places to sleep, plenty of food, things to do-"

  
Snorting, Yang said. "It's a _luxury_ dungeon."

  
"And the guy keeps asking the guards about the sorceress, because he was smitten - and they're sympathetic, but they don't have any explanations. They just tell him that everyone there is there for their own protection."

  
Yang's only response to that was a deeply skeptical look.

  
Blake sighed. "Yeah, me too. But she finally shows up again, and-" She eyed Yang. "-I guess this is a big spoiler for the book. Do you care?"

  
"It's more fun getting it from you."

  
_Um_. Blake dropped her eyes to the book, knowing it didn't have any answers. It was really good writing, she was just giving Yang a quick summary.

  
_She's just saying that. To be polite._

  
"Are you sure? It's a pretty quick read. I just started at breakfast."

  
Yang waved a dismissive hand, smiling.

  
_Okay, here goes._

  
"She explains that they're soulmates. Or, really, that their Auras are linked together. And it makes a lot of odd stuff in the first half of the book makes sense. Like why he has an active Aura when he's just a farmer, and why it seems so unstable. It's because whenever she gets hit, it affects his Aura. And she has to spend Aura to cast spells, and she's got a reputation as a very powerful sorceress because she's also got his Aura to use."

  
Nodding, Yang said, "And if he gets hurt, she loses power. No wonder she kidnapped him."

  
"I just don't know if it's actually going to explore that idea, or if it's just going to be 'and now they're so in love,' and pretend that excuses everything."

  
"Yeah, 'they're soulmates' is pretty weak as an actual romance plot. Because they're obviously _perfect_ for each other, so all that's left is external threats keeping the lovers apart. And they're just filled with longing, and once they're re-united, that's the end of the book." Yang snorted. "Really cuts down on the amount of smut."

  
_Of course Yang would focus on that. ...Though I'm pretty sure she's not serious. Or she is, but - it's complicated. It's an easy explanation. Excuse._

  
Blake tried to expand on her dilemma. "And this is the only time they've talked at all, and it's all exposition. But he thinks he's in love with her."

  
"I mean... guys that age..." Yang shrugged, clearly not getting it.

  
And she was right. Even if it wasn't just guys. 

  
_Breathe in, hold it, breathe out._

  
"I'm not saying it isn't realistic. I'm saying I don't like it."

  
And that came out sharper than Blake wanted. Ruby looked up at her, eyes alert. And Weiss hunched over her studying, trying even harder to ignore everyone else. But Yang stayed silent, waiting and watching her.

  
Blake mouthed 'Sorry' at Ruby, and slid down on her bed, until she was lying next to Yang. She bent her head forward, until she was practically whispering in Yang's ear. "Sorry." Her arms were wrapped tightly around the book.

  
"You're fine. Sorry I interrupted. Want to keep going?"

  
"I just... it's a bad example. It's not romantic at all, it's just him being stupid. Because this is a romance novel, and they're on the cover, so they have to be in a romance. That they're Aurabound is just the narrative excuse." Blake sighed. "And his childhood friend died in the attack on the village, and he was sad for maybe a chapter?"

  
Yang screwed up her face.

  
"And I like a lot of the secondary characters, and the descriptions are great, but right now, the romance is a kidnapping and the Aurabound reveal. I just don't know if I want to finish it." Blake swallowed. "What do you think?"

  
"I'd probably finish it. You said it was a quick read. And if it gets better," Yang gave her a thumbs up. "And if it doesn't, you can badmouth it with authority."

  
Yang did have a point.

  
"But if you're not enjoying it, why bother? There's plenty of other books to read, and your time is valuable."

  
And that _also_ made sense.

  
"If you want, I can read it, and let you know if it gets better? Or just what happens."

  
Blake stopped hugging the book, and handed it to Yang.

  
Yang took it, and rolled out of Blake's bunk. She was about to say something, but a quick glance at their team-mates discouraged that. After Yang gave Blake a smile, she launched herself back to her bunk, making it creak.

  
And unfortunately, that was Blake's only new book at the moment. After a moment, she reached over and grabbed _Ninjas of Love_ off of the bookshelf. She could re-read her favorite parts.

  
...though that was most of it, so maybe she should just start at the beginning. Relive the whole torrid romance, all the mistakes and misunderstandings and apologies. The tentative first steps, and the fierce determination to make their relationship work.

  
And the smut. The glorious smut. The context just made it better. And the anticipation just sharpened her enjoyment.

  
She started reading.


End file.
